A Tasty Way to Get Your Grains

After you’ve been a long-time San Francisco patron of the arts, film producer and inventor of Skyy Vodka, what’s left to do?

For San Franciscan Maurice Kanbar, it’s creating a healthful grain mix that’s low fat, and free of sodium and cholesterol.

Kanbar started making the blend of California long-grain brown rice, brown lentils, wheat berries, oats, barley, black lentils, rye berries, green lentils and buckwheat for himself. But friends liked it so much, they urged him to package it and sell it.

So, SooFoo was created. The name is play on words of “super good food,” which is how Kanbar likes to describe his grain blend.

Just simmer it in water or stock for about 40 minutes until tender for a hearty side dish that has a nice nutty, earthy flavor with a wisp of sweetness.

Serve as a side dish or incorporate into soups, stuffings and salads. Drizzled with a little maple syrup, it also would make a satisfying breakfast with some dried fruit mixed in.